No Regrets
by RayRach2000
Summary: *New Updates Soon!* After casting a powerful spell as a last ditch effort to defeat the master of a dark guild, Lucy has only one year to live. Eight months later finds Lucy part of Sabertooth, and stronger than ever. As she builds stronger bonds with her new guild and repairs bonds with her old guild, two Dragon Slayers try to form romantic ties with her...
1. DescriptionForward

**No Regrets**

After casting a powerful spell as a last ditch effort to defeat the master of a dark guild, Lucy has only one year to live. Eight months later finds Lucy part of Sabertooth, and stronger than ever. As she builds stronger bonds with her new guild and repairs bonds with her old guild, two Dragon Slayers try to form romantic ties with her. But, after the unfolding of shocking events, all of that is pushed into the background as the guilds team up to defeat murderous insurgents. And, along the way, Lucy learns that the ultimate sacrifice may entitle her to more than she'd ever thought...

* * *

**_The Present_**

_"And, finally, Sabertooth!" the announcer cried into the mic, drawing back and clapping his hands over his ears at the roar of the crowd; the noise was second only to the tsunami of screams Fairy Tail had brought out._

_"They've really switched around with their Masters this year, haven't they?" Makarov mused softly to his guild members in the member-only area where those not participating in the Games would get to watch._

_"Yes," Mira agreed softly. "Sting, then Rogue, then Rufus, and now an outsider, Madame Wing. Of course, I suppose that was so Sting, Rogue, and Rufus would be able to participate this year."_

_Makarov grunted his agreement as the five mages representing Sabertooth, led by Sting, who had both arms in the air, stepped out onto the field. The elderly man's eyes roved over them; the spiky-blonde White dragon, the dark-haired Shadow dragon, the long blonde locks of the Memory mage, the short white hair of the Celestial mage, and a mysterious figure, covered from head to toe in a white cloak._

_For some reason, Makarov felt as if he knew this stranger, who leaned forward to say something softly into Sting's ear, which made the Dragon Slayer give a belly laugh before dropping his arms to his side._

_"What's this?" Elfman cried, from the stands, startling all of the Fairy Tail members - indeed, everyone in hearing distance of the large man. "Covering your face is not Manly!" he cried. "Wendy!"_

_Wendy, who was standing on the field between Gray and Natsu, Erza and Laxus behind them, shook her head furiously, blushing._

_"I got it!" Chelia, again representing Lamia Scale, took a deep breath and blasted a strong wind that ripped across the arena's floor, causing most everyone to stagger in surprise._

_Yukino, Makarov observed, seemed to start to reach up to hold down the hood of her comrade, but a hand - definitely feminine - appeared from the cloak, blocking the white-haired girl's attempt._

_Unchallenged, the hood fell back, the cloak billowing out from the girl's body like angel's wings._

_Cries went up all around as the wind and dust settled, but none were louder or more surprised than those from the Fairy Tail booth and team._

_"Lucy!?"_

* * *

**Pairing for this story: Laxus and Lucy (Eventually)**


	2. What Happened, Part 1

**I DON'T OWN FAIRY TAIL. **

**_Just so everyone knows, the italicized passage that was posted with the first chapter was a taste of what was to come. For this chapter, we went back in time a little..._**

* * *

**Eight and a Half Months Ago**

"I don't know, Natsu," Lucy said, biting her lip as she examined the request paper. "If we're not taking Wendy, Erza, and Gray along, this could be really dangerous. I don't know if I'm up for it..."

"Aw, come on, Luce!" Natsu pleaded, eyes shining with the excitement of the challenged. "If we take down this dark guild, we'll have enough money to completely pay off Fairy Tail's debts. Plus, it's really remote, so we won't create any more debts!"

The blonde looked at him skeptically. "You talked to Mira about how to convince me, didn't you?" she accused, and the Dragon Slayer drooped a little.

"Yeah," he admitted, and he looked so disappointed that Lucy, with a sigh, said, "Oh, why not! Let's do it."

"Yes!" Natsu jumped into the air. "The original Team Natsu is back!"

"Almost. Happy's sick, remember?"

"Oh, yeah..."

* * *

Not long after the blonde and the Dragon Slayer had left, Mira placed the request under the bar, too busy passing out drinks, making more, and cleaning up old messes to put it in the book of jobs. More than five hours passed before she was less busy, finishing up the last few glasses before closing time.

"Mira, dear?"

The white-haired woman jumped in surprise at Makarov's voice, turning to see him standing on the bar, looking concerned. "Yes, Master?" she asked, putting down the dirty glass and cleaning cloth in her hands at the look on his face.

"There was a job on the board, earlier. Something about the dark guild, Serpent's Fang?" the old man began, gesturing towards the board, where Nab was still hovering.

"Yes, Master," Mira agreed, fishing under the bar for the paper and handing it to the elderly man. "Natsu and Lucy took it, this morning. I daresay they should have arrived by now - Master?"

She put a concerned hand on his shoulder, for his face had gone quite white. "Where's Laxus? Where's the Raijinshuu?" he asked, faintly.

"Here, Gramps," Laxus, who'd heard the entire conversation from the S Class floor with his advanced Dragon Slayer ears, peered over the railing curiously. "What's up?"

Makarov held the paper up, still pale. "You must go after them at once," he whispered. As he spoke these words, his hand glowed slightly, highlighting a symbol in the corner of the paper that had been consciously hidden.

A bloodred S.

"This," Makarov said softly, "is the mission I was warned about a week or so ago, although it seems as if it's just shown up. According to the person who wrote the request, the people he asked to distribute it to the guilds weren't being truthful. The original request asked for at least three S class wizards."

Mira clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh, no! Lucy and Natsu won't be able to...!"

Laxus swung himself over the railing, landing rather lightly on his feet right by the bar, and took the paper from his grandfather. "I'll go get the Raijinshuu and Erza, and then we'll head out," he said, flatly, but his eyes betrayed the same emotion in his grandfather's and the barmaid's:

Fear.

* * *

"Natsu!" Lucy screeched, as one of the guild members, a hulking brute even bigger than Elfman, slammed his fist into her friend, sending the salmon-haired man flying.

A small cry from her other side drew the blonde's attention, and her eyes locked onto Virgo just in time to see the spirit dissolve into nothing, the little corresponding key on the chain growing warm.

A grunt drew her attention elsewhere, and she barely managed to scream, "Forced Close! Gate of the Lion, Loke!" before another goon tried to eradicate him, just like the maid. Less than two seconds later, Loke forced his gate back open and used Regulus to send the goon flying into the cliff face, with crumbled and buried him.

"Lucy, we can't do this much longer!" Loke warned her, unnecessarily, as she rolled out of the way of an attack from a heavyset woman with black eyes and hair who was grinning creepily at her. Lucy and Loke both knew that this was the Master of Serpent's Fang, Frauchen Schlange.

"Natsu!" Loke bellowed, glancing at his master, who was obviously weak from having summoned himself, Virgo, Sagittarius, Aries, and Scorpio.

"I'm trying!" Natsu, surrounded by most of the other insanely strong members of the dark guild, screamed in reply, punching, kicking, and even biting left and right.

"Loke, look out!" the lion felt Lucy's little hands on his arm, shoving him aside, as she fell back. A shot of venom hit the ground right where they'd been, destroying the grass, dirt, and rock, and making a crevasse so deep that Loke's sharp eyes could see the molten material of the earth inside of it.

For the moment, Schlange was busy laughing at her success at terrifying her prey, and had turned to watch her goons continue to pummel Natsu, who was getting nowhere. She ignored both Spirit and girl.

"By the Celestial King's beard..." he murmured, looking up, his eyes locking with Lucy's, which were bleak with despair.

"We can't win this," she voiced softly.

Loke knew that she wanted him to agree with her, but...he hesitated, and her eyes locked onto him accusingly. "You know a way,"

With swift, cat like movements, Loke launched himself over the crevasse, to Lucy's side. "Nevermind what I do or do not know," he growled. "Let's just get Natsu and get out of here. There's no way this isn't an S Class mission."

"NO!" Lucy protested, yanking her arm out of his grasp and drawing Schlange's attention. "Loke, please," she said, in a softer voice. "If you know of any spell, you need to tell me. That's an order."

Loke paled; he could not disobey a direct order.

"I know of one spell," he said softly. "Using it, you could defeat not only Schlange, but all of her goons. It's a Celestial spell created by the King himself that locks onto dark energies. But...the price of the spell..."

"I'll pay any price," Lucy interrupted. "Here's another order: teach it to me." Loke looked pained, but he had no choice but to whisper the spell into her ear, touching her temple lightly. Where he touched her, light blossomed, and a white tattoo - a rose, petals not colored in - appeared there, engraining the spell into her.

Right before Lucy forced his gate closed, Loke murmured to her the price of the spell, hoping it would deter her. But, the lion realized he had lost when Natsu's cry of agony split that air at the same time that Schlange's poison splashed onto Loke's body, making him cry out in agony before vanishing.

With little hesitation, Lucy rocketed to her feet and screamed.

"King of the Stars, I call upon your might

Recognize this evil, and let out the Light!"

The tattoo on her temple glowed with blinding brightness, and a force not unlike an explosion rocked the surrounding area.

* * *

Evergreen was nearly thrown off of her feet when the ground jolted, and she cried out at the bright white light that burned her eyes.

She was not the only one in pain and surprised; Laxus, Erza, and the rest of the Raijinshuu (plus Wendy and Gray, who'd insisted on coming) felt the same thing. Poor Wendy did lose her footing, but Charla grabbed onto her, keeping her from hitting the ground.

"What the ever loving - " Laxus cursed, rubbing his eyes.

"What was that?" Gray echoed, in more polite language.

"I don't know," Erza murmured, "but, that's the direction of Serpent's Fang."

Wendy's chest tightened. "Natsu-san and Lucy-san," she whispered.

"Quickly," Laxus grunted, taking off in the direction of the light, the other Fairy Tail members on his heels.

It did not take long for them to reach the site of what once had been Serpent's Fang; the entire guild building was gone, leaving only the concrete foundation. A few marble figures dotted the landscape, and the mages realized with a jolt that they were Serpent's mages, petrified, some still in fighting stances.

"Are you telling me...they did this?" Freed whispered in shock, taking a step back from the scene.

The sound of shifting rubble drew their attention to a pile of brick and shards of wood - most likely pieces from the guild. The pile gave a great shudder, and the salmon-haired Dragon Slayer flopped out of it, gasping.

Wendy ran over to him immediately, horrified by what she found; Natsu so badly beaten that he could hardly even speak.

Erza and Gray rushed over, but Laxus and the Raijinshuu hung back, feeling as if this was a scene for Team Natsu that they should not barge in on. Laxus looked around, sniffing quietly, trying to pick up Lucy's scent; at the moment, he hadn't seen, heard, or smelled her at all.

"Natsu," Erza murmured, kneeling next to the injured boy, whom Wendy was working over frantically. "Natsu, where's Lucy? What happened?"

"L..ucy...did...th...is." the boy slurred in response, half conscious.

"Lucy?" Gray repeated, taking another look around. "You're talking about the Lucy who's house we break into all the time, who's writing the book, who's Levy's best friend, right?"

"Lu...cy," Natsu agreed.

"Good God," Laxus muttered, having heard the entire exchange. Met with curious looks, he muttered the conversation to the Raijinshuu, who looked just as stunned as he felt.

"Where's Lucy, Natsu?" Gray asked.

"Don't...know..." Natsu mumbled, his eyes drifting closed. "She...did this."

"Don't you dare fall asleep, you -! Bah," Gray spit on the ground. "I'm going to look for her."

A sudden breeze sprang up, and Laxus shouted, "No need, Stripper," before taking three long, running strides in the opposite direction of Natsu, jumping over a deep crevasse in the ground. Not far from this spot was a marble figure he recognized as the Master of the guild, Frauchen Schlange.

Not far from her was a figure, lying on the ground. At first, all of them had assumed it was another statue; but, Laxus realized as he got closer, it was actually their Celestial Spirit Mage, covered in white dust from the decimated guild.

As he knelt beside her, Laxus heard the hurried footsteps of Wendy, Gray, and Erza, and heard the Raijinshuu agree to Erza's demand to take Natsu to the train station and get them a ticket home; he would be okay for now, but he and Lucy both still needed to get back to Magnolia and Porlyusica as soon as possible, despite Wendy's abilities.

Laxus turned all of his attention to the mage lying on the ground in front of him; her chest moved slightly, so she was alive, but she had several visible injuries that turned her skin, clothes, and hair red, and she seemed to be completely unconscious.

With more gentleness than any of the others thought possible, Laxus scooped her up, cradling her head against his chest.

"No time," he grunted at Wendy, who was reaching towards the blonde. "To the train, first."

No one disagreed.

* * *

"You can be assured that this office is completely soundproofed," Makarov assured the blonde girl sitting in front of him. "Natsu has already informed me of all he knows, and has gone home to sulk at the fact that he couldn't defeat the guild's goons. Now, if you don't mind, tell me. How on Earthland did you manage to not only defeat all of the mages that Natsu could not, but also Frauchen Schlange, who is on par with the Ten Wizard Saints?"

Lucy, still exhausted from her ordeal a week ago, leaned back in her chair. "A spell," she replied. "I was so desperate to finish the fight, to get myself and Natsu out of there, that I forced Loke to teach me a spell he knew, one that would be able to do just that." With a tired gesture, Lucy touched the little white tattoo that had taken up permanent residence on her skin.

"What was it?" Makarov asked, with patience.

"Star King's Wrath." Lucy replied. "Informally, that is. It's called Deus lux Mea formally."

Makarov's brows furrowed. "Forgive me, but I'm not familiar with many Celestial Magic spells. Urano Metoria, I know. Others..." he trailed off.

Lucy stared out the single window in Makarov's office.

"Deus lux Mea is a spell created by the Celestial Spirit king. It is a Light spell that attaches itself to souls who have darkness in them, then destroys it, turning the body to stone. It is one of the most terrifying spells in Celestial Magic. It does not take much magic power, but it comes with a much greater price that deters people from casting it constantly." Lucy spoke with a detachment that worried her guildmaster, almost more than her suggestion of a high price.

"What kind of price, my dear?" he asked softly.

For the first time, Lucy met his gaze, and he was startled to find tears there.

"All but a year of the caster's life."

* * *

Makarov clutched the edge of his desk like a drowning man would a life preserver, or a floating piece of debris. "All...but a year of your life." he repeated softly."Oh, child..."

"I wish to leave the guild," Lucy interrupted him.

This new statement threw him for even more of a loop, and the man dropped his head into his hand, gathering his thoughts. After a moment, the only coherent thing he could say was, "Why?"

She took a deep breath, then let it out in a sigh. "I need to get everything organized. I want to visit my parents' graves and...set up a place for me, beside them. I need to find homes for my spirits. I need to pay off all my debts, sell all my stuff..."

"Are you sure?" Makarov persisted. "When I tell the guild..."

"Don't," Lucy replied quietly, and the tears finally spilled over her face. "Just tell them that I'm disgusted with them. Tell Natsu that I hate him for putting us in that situation. Convince them that I loathe Fairy Tail totally and completely. Make them let me go."

"These words will break their hearts even more." Makarov whispered.

"I know..." Lucy replied. "But it's what has to happen."

The tears fell down her face like a waterfall when he wiped her guild mark from her hand and led her out of the guild the back way, so she would not be seen.

All alone, again.

* * *

** I made very few changes in this chapter, because I was pretty satisfied with it. Obviously, Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail, and I do not.**


	3. What Happened, Part 2

**Seven Months Ago**

_Dear Mother,_

_It's been a little more than a month since I left Fairy Tail. It seems like forever, because I miss everyone so much. As far as I know, no one has tried to find me; perhaps Master truly convinced them that I hated them. Part of me is glad, but more of me hurts, if it only took a few words from Makarov to make my family believe such lies, even of my own creation..._

_Oh, right. I'm part of Sabertooth now. It is too dangerous for a young woman to travel about alone - and I am alone, for I cannot bear to see my Spirits, nor can I give them away - so I chose to go to one of the most feared guilds in Fiore. Now, if people give me trouble, I simply show them the black mark on my wrist, and they back away. It is not how I want to live, but how I must live. I do not want to stay with them, anyway. Perhaps I'll go back, one day, but it feels so close to Fairy Tail...only two train rides..._

_I have to go now, Mother. If I wish to eat tonight, I must find a job..._

_Your loving daughter,_

_Lucy Heartfilia_

* * *

Lucy folded up the letter and swung the backpack off of her back, rifling through it quickly before finding the precious box with the other letters. Touching the paper to her lips softly, Lucy put the paper in with the others before stowing the box back in her bag.

She stood up, shouldering the bag and shuddering when she saw her hair swing over her shoulder; it was greasy and nasty, since she hadn't had enough money recently to stay in a hotel for any amount of time.

Lucy was hoping and praying that this province, Estrella - nearly on the opposite side of the country from Magnolia - was far enough away from what she was hoping to stay away from. She'd only been close to Fairy Tail twice - once when visiting her parents' graves and setting up a spot for her next to her mother, and once when she went to Sabertooth to ask for their guild mark.

Also, Lucy sincerely hoped that hotels would be cheaper, out here in the sticks. Or, at least, she could find someone who would take her in for the night.

As soon as Lucy stepped out onto the main road, she observed her landscape once again. She was in a valley, surrounded on three sides by shorter mountains, where little villages were scattered and sheep grazed on the hillsides. Directly in front of her was a huge mountain that seemed to touch the sky; she'd heard someone in a village she'd passed through before call it Vovin, and they seemed to have a great reverence for it.

Lucy sighed, hefted her backpack strap further up on her shoulder, and started to walk. It wasn't long after that she caught sight of a figure running her way, surrounded by littler figures. It took her a few more steps and a lot of squinting, but she finally realized what it was; a shepherd, surrounded by his sheep. She could hear him yelling now, partially to drive on the sheep and partially in fear.

With a surprised shout, she jumped to the side of the road to avoid being trampled by hooves. As the shepherd, a young boy, ran past her, he screamed a warning, "It feasts tonight!"

Lucy could barely hear him over the sound of hooves beating the ground and the frightened bleating of sheep, but she understood. She also realized something that should have been obvious before; the word vovin meant dragon.

Dragon.

Igneel.

Or, maybe Grandine.

Possibly Metalicana.

Lucy pointed her feet towards Vovin, and she started to run.

* * *

When the moon was directly overhead, Lucy reached the only cave on the mountain. Thanks to a flash of her guild mark and the keys clipped to her belt, a villager had told her, thinking she was going to drive the 'monster' away.

But that wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to talk to this dragon, not make it leave its home. Perhaps she could convince it to hunt elsewhere to prevent scaring the living daylights out of the villagers.

"I know that you know I'm here," Lucy said, voice shaking a little, as she stood in the mouth of the cave. "I don't mean you any harm, at all. I just want to speak to you."

No response.

"Igneel?" Lucy asked, and paused. When there was no response, she asked, "Grandine?" After another pause, "Metalicana?"

Lucy let out a breath of disappointment at the lack of response, and turned her back to the mouth of the cave, preparing to scale back down. Perhaps morning would bring better results...

_Do not leave, human_. A warm, female voice drifted out of the cave, along with a breath of warm air that forced the chill of night completely away from Lucy's skin, and made her sigh at the homey feeling.

"What is your name?" she asked, turning back to the cave. Now, she could see two blue orbs; eyes looking back at her in the dark.

_I am Estrella, and I am this province's namesake. I am the Dragon of the Stars. And you are a Celestial Mage._

"Yes," Lucy agreed. "The villagers are scared of you."

_I mean them no harm. I must eat, you know._

"I know."

_Are you afraid of me?_

"Me? No." Lucy smiled a little to herself. "I had three friends who were raised by dragons. The only one I fear is Acnologia."

_I fear him, too_. Estrella admitted. _Have you come here to tell me about the humans, or do other thoughts cloud your mind?_

"I..." Lucy hesitated, then blurted out, "Will you teach me Dragon Slayer magic?"

A low chuckled vibrated the rock around her. _Why don't you come in here, make yourself at home, and tell me your story first, little one. Then we will speak of magic._

* * *

Lucy finished her tale as the sun rose; from here, leaning against Estrella's golden scales, the blonde had a perfect view of the sunrise.

_I see..._Estrella mused. She was silent for a moment before she said, _I will teach you, under three circumstances._

"Just name them."

_One: you must reconcile with your Spirits. I have sensed the worry of Leo and Virgo in the night skies. The others worry too, although they try to hide it._

Lucy dropped her head. "I haven't been treating them right," she admitted. "So, I'll agree."

_Good...Two: you must participate in the Grand Magic Games this year. Which means you fight for the team whose symbol burns on your skin._

"When I go back to Sabertooth, I'll ask."

_Mhm. And, three: when you participate at the Games, you must reveal your identity. It can be at the beginning of the Games, at the end, or anywhere in between, but you must._

Lucy sat there in silence for a long time; long enough for the sun to start warming the valley, where shepherds started guiding their sheep. Someone galloped down the road she'd walked just the night before on a beautiful horse, whose bright coat combined with sunlight made him appear to be bronze.

"Alright," she finally agreed. "I'll do those things."

_Perfect._ Lucy could hear the smile in Estrella's voice. _Why don't we get started?_

* * *

**Two Months Later (Five Months Ago)**

Estrella's cave was very comfortable; further in, there was a hot spring where Lucy could wash herself and her clothes. Down in the villages, she could to odd jobs to keep herself fed. And, everyday, Lucy climbed up the mountain a few hundred more feet to a path that led to the other side, where she and Estrella trained.

The training was difficult, and Lucy's body, at first, hurt worse than it had after being pummeled by all of her enemies, combined, multiplied by ten, but it soon got better. It what seemed like no time, Lucy could even hold her own against Estrella, which seemed to please her.

_You learn quickly_. the old dragon told her.

"It is because I only have so long to learn it and then to use it." Lucy always replied.

* * *

"Estrella?" Lucy called, from the mouth of the cave. "I'm going to head to Sabertooth for a week. Don't forget that the villagers are having their festival on Wednesday!"

_I may be old, but I'm not that old_. Estrella grumbled. _Git, girl._

"Bye!"

* * *

The journey from Estrella's home back to Sabertooth - in a sprawling town called Lotus - was a lot more enjoyable to Lucy than the trip there. True, she still felt the guilt of what she'd done to Fairy Tail everyday, and it weighed down on her that she only had seven months to live, but she was so much happier with the old dragon.

As Lucy boarded the train to Lotus, she pulled up the hood of her white cloak. It was pure white, except for the designs embroidered on it in gold thread; around the edges of the hood and on the bottom of the cloak, which brushed the ground. Estrella said she'd been hoarding clothes for years, hoping that, one day, a human would join her and make her less lonely.

This was how Lucy had come across this garment, and the white tights, gold skirt, and blue tanktop that she wore under the cloak. Her keys were clipped to her belt, but their holster was soft white leather, with the design of a star surrounding the Sabertooth symbol.

It took two days to get to Lotus from Estrella, which gave her three days to visit before she had to board the first train back to her home. Oddly enough, she had started to think of Estrella as home. She'd come to love the tall mountains, the rivers snaking through the valley, and the people of the villages, who called her Vivon's Daughter and treated her almost like a god.

She tried to discourage this behavior, but the very least that they would do was bow and murmur a short prayer as she passed. She once made the mistake of calling out Loke while walking in view of a shepherd, and that solidified her godly status.

Oh, right. Her spirits. Of course, they'd all been furious initially, since she'd ignored them for a month (which was a long time to them), but soon enough they'd all started speaking softly, appearing at random if they could just to hug her or speak to her.

They knew that she was dying, even if she didn't feel anything.

Loke had appeared the most, talking to her about the spell and how it worked, in depth. She learned that he'd learned from the King that one would not start to feel the effects until their last month, when they'd slowly lose the ability to walk, talk, and move. Eventually, their lungs and heart failed.

Lucy and Estrella had a long heart-to-heart about this, and Estrella had given the blonde a potion of her own creation; one that would stop her heart the moment it touched her lips. It was in a small vial on the chain around her neck. It had quickly become a habit of Lucy's to touch the vial, as she did now. Loke disapproved of the vial, and seemed to glare at it whenever he was around.

"Er, Miss? Sir?"

Lucy looked up, startled, to see the conductor looking down at her uncomfortably, pointing at the window, which she turned her head to look out, finding that the train had stopped.

"I'm 'Miss'" she said curtly, standing up and scooping up her bag before walking past the flustered conductor, off of the train. She turned towards Sabertooth, Lotus's centerpiece, and started to walk.

* * *

"Sting?"

The blonde jumped a little and looked up from his drink when his dark-haired partner, Rogue called his name suddenly.

"What?" he asked.

"Quit moping," Rogue replied. "You're like this every few days, and Rufus is upset that you haven't been taking any jobs."

Sting snorted. "I still can't believe you stepped down as Master to let Rufus have a go."

Rogue rolled his red eyes and replied with, "I wasn't the best Master for Sabertooth, and neither were you. Perhaps Rufus has what it takes." Rogue cut his eyes down the bar, and nodded at the younger woman behind it. "Of course, Liza has offered many times to call for her mother, Madame Wing, who used to be the Master of a smaller guild that shut down not long ago..."

"That's why we haven't taken up on that offer," Sting pointed out. "We'd like to keep Sabertooth open, since it is home for so many people. And, a safety precaution for you-know-who."

"Lucy?" Rogue asked, then narrowed his eyes, dropping his voice to barely a whisper. "Are you moping over Lucy Heartfilia?"

Sting felt the blush start up across his cheeks, but he shook his head vehemently. "No. I'm just worried. Every single looter out there would think a lone girl was easy pickings."

"Sting, you saw her at last year's tournament; she would have beaten Flare if not for Raven Tail's interference. And she could have beaten Minerva, too, if the Lady hadn't been so underhanded as to steal her keys. I think she's fine." Rogue pointed out.

"Are we," Yukino started talking on Sting's other side, making the blonde jump again. "talking about our newest, mysterious member, Thea?"

"Thea?" Sting asked.

"You don't remember?" the Celestial mage - who'd become quite lively in the past few months - asked. "She asked us to call her something that was similar to her name. So, since her name, Lucy, means light, I suggested Thea. She was goddess of light in one religion or another."

"Thea," Sting tried out the name. "Hmph. Goddess."

Rogue was just opening his mouth to point out the far-away look in Sting's eyes when the front doors were flung open, hitting the walls with a bang, and revealing a slim figure whose body was mostly concealed by her snow-white-and-gold cloak.

The cape rustled a little before an arm appeared - the person's right arm - pointing at Sting, Rogue, and Yukino in turn.

A small, black Sabertooth stamp stood out in sharp relief against their pale skin.

Lucy - Thea - had returned.

* * *

"What a dramatic entrance," Sting commented dryly, as he, Rogue, Yukino, Rufus, and Lucy sat around Rufus' desk in the soundproof Master's Office.

"I was feeling rather dramatic," Lucy - hood down - shrugged. "After spending two months with a no-nonsense dragon, drama is lots of fun."

"Whoa whoa whoa," Sting held up his hands. "Go back. Dragon?"

Lucy grinned at him, showing off two sharp canines that she had acquired in the past few months. "I found a dragoness, Estrella, during my travels. The villagers protect me from outsiders as if I'm one of their own, because they think I'm a goddess of some sort." With a shrug, she said, "I tried to convince them to treat me normally, but they don't."

"What about your spirits?" Yukino asked.

"That's just the thing; Estrella is the Dragon of the Stars, or the Dragon of the Heavens. It and Celestial magic are a good match. I can still use my spirits, and my new magic." Lucy replied. "Although, Yukino, I wanted to give you these." With one, swift movement, the blonde girl unclipped a few keys from her belt. "I found Orion the Hunter, Aquila the Eagle, Pegasus, and Columba the Dove."

Yukino took the keys, eyes shining. "Wow," she breathed. "All of these are great keys, but Pegasus! Oh, I want to call him right now!"

"Later," Rufus said, in amusement. "Right now, we're in a meeting."

"Right," Yukino said, looking a little let down, but clutching the keys to her chest happily.

"Was there a specific reason you wanted to visit, Lucy? Or, perhaps, Thea?" Rufus questioned.

"You can call me Lucy in private, but Thea where someone might hear." the blonde clarified. "But, yes, I came to ask a favor." She took a breath and said, "When the Grand Magic Games return, I want to be part of Sabertooth's team. As for the other members, I was hoping that Sting, Rogue, Yukino, and you, Rufus, would join me."

Rufus smiled. "But I am the Master."

"And you don't want to be the Master," Lucy pointed out.

Rufus and the others looked started; the Memory mage did not, in fact, want to be the Master, but the others hadn't picked up on this at all.

"How do you - ?" Sting trailed off, then gestured at her.

Lucy tapped her head, grinning. "I'm good at reading people. Plus, one of the side effects of Deux lux Mea is that I can hear not thoughts, exactly, but...well, things that people are thinking about. I suppose it's because everyone wants to know how people truly feel about them before - ah, never mind."

"Hmph," Rufus tapped his own temple. "I'll remember that."

"You do that," Lucy grinned. "So, are you guys in?"

The four shared a quick look before grinning first at each other, then her.

"Let's do it."

* * *

** A few more changes in this chapter, but nothing major. I don't own Fairy Tail; Hiro Mashima does.**


	4. Present Day

**Three Weeks Ago**

"You miss her,"

Natsu looked up from the bar to Makarov, who was sitting two seats to his left on the bar.

"She left on her own," Natsu replied quietly. "She had a reason to go; Team Natsu put her through so many strenuous missions without ever once thinking about her feelings."

Makarov almost broke down then and there and told Natsu the truth, seeing how pained he was.

The salmon-haired boy had grown up so much in the past eight months since Lucy had left. At first, he was the same old Natsu, ready to move heaven and hell just to make her come back, but Laxus and Erza had basically kept him under house arrest in the Guild until he'd calmed enough to accept the blonde's decision.

Makarov had also seen her absence and the harsh lies she'd concocted in other members; Gray hardly ever picked a fight with Natsu, Juvia didn't stalk Gray, Erza went on missions for weeks on end without coming back, and Happy no longer tried to give Charla fish. Levy kept to herself more than ever, even when Gajeel cajoled her to join in some of the guild's activities. Lisanna, surprisingly, seemed the most upset; she'd burst into tears as soon as Makarov announced that Lucy was gone, and could not be soothed by her siblings or guild mates.

_Lucy, child, was this the right decision?_

The real deal breaker had come a month before; on a mission, a team from a new Legal guild, LionHeart, had sent Fairy Tail a message saying that a young girl of Lucy's description had been found dead not far from Crocus, Fiore's capital.

The news had sent the guild into a downward spiral, and Makarov had gone to examine the body, only to find that the woman that was to be laid to rest was many years younger than their Lucy. This, however, had not soothed any of his guild members, who all began to think that it was a strong possibility that Lucy was dead, since no one had heard from or seen her.

With a grunt, Makarov stood, growing to perhaps four times his size, before bellowing, "Now listen here, you brats! A decision is a decision, and we will respect Lucy's! Now, for the matter of the Grand Magic Games, to be held in a few weeks! I have already decided on the team. There will be no arguments, as this is my final decision! The team is as follows: Natsu! Gray! Erza! Wendy! Laxus! You have less than a month to prepare, so be ready!"

The five guild members all shared a look before Erza motioned to all of them, and they left the guild as a group.

"Good luck, you stupid brats." Makarov muttered to himself. "Good luck."

* * *

** The Present**

"And, finally, Sabertooth!" the announcer cried into the mic, drawing back and clapping his hands over his ears at the roar of the crowd; the noise was second only to the tsunami of screams Fairy Tail had brought out.

"They've really switched around with their Masters this year, haven't they?" Makarov mused softly to his guild members in the member-only area where those not participating in the Games would get to watch.

"Yes," Mira agreed softly. "Sting, then Rogue, then Rufus, and now an outsider, Madame Wing. Of course, I suppose that was so Sting, Rogue, and Rufus would be able to participate this year."

Makarov grunted his agreement as the five mages representing Sabertooth, led by Sting, who had both arms in the air, stepped out onto the field. The elderly man's eyes roved over them; the spiky-blonde White dragon, the dark-haired Shadow dragon, the long blonde locks of the Memory mage, the short white hair of the Celestial mage, and a mysterious figure, covered from head to toe in a white cloak.

For some reason, Makarov felt as if he knew this stranger, who leaned forward to say something softly into Sting's ear, which made the Dragon Slayer give a belly laugh before dropping his arms to his side.

"What's this?" Elfman cried, from the stands, startling all of the Fairy Tail members - indeed, everyone in hearing distance of the large man. "Covering your face is not Manly!" he cried. "Wendy!"

Wendy, who was standing on the field between Gray and Natsu, Erza and Laxus behind them, shook her head furiously, blushing.

"I got it!" Chelia, again representing Lamia Scale, took a deep breath and blasted a strong wind that ripped across the arena's floor, causing most everyone to stagger in surprise.

Yukino, Makarov observed, seemed to start to reach up to hold down the hood of her comrade, but a hand - definitely feminine - appeared from the cloak, blocking the white-haired girl's attempt.

Unchallenged, the hood fell back, the cloak billowing out from the girl's body like angel's wings.

Cries went up all around as the wind and dust settled, but none were louder or more surprised than those from the Fairy Tail booth and team.

"Lucy!?"

* * *

Natsu's first thought was, _That's not Lucy_. His second thought was, _Dear God, that's Lucy._

Before anyone could do anything else, Wendy was running across the field as fast as her little feet could take her, and leaping at Lucy. Sting, thinking she was attacking, nearly lit into the blue-haired girl, but drew back in surprise when he realized that the Sky Dragon Slayer had thrown her arms about Lucy's neck, and was hugging her tightly, crying.

Lucy, looking surprised, guilty, and pained all at once, hugged Wendy awkwardly before unwinding her arms and setting her onto the ground. Lucy glanced up at the rest of Fairy Tail's team, but was met with stares of surprise (Natsu and Gray), confusion (Laxus), and pure fury (Erza.)

The blonde dropped her gaze to Wendy and forced a smile. "Go back," she told the younger girl. "I...I've missed you all so much, but it really isn't the time..."

Wendy, brushing tears away from her eyes, nodded once before returning to her teammates' sides, much slower and with more reluctance than she'd left them.

"Ahem," the announcer cleared his throat. "Yes, well, that was...touching. If we can all put our emotions aside, please, then we'll jump right into the first events; one-on-one fights!"

Cheers went up around the arena, and those participating in the games puffed up, the guys showing off their muscles and the girls winking at men in the stands. (Besides all of Team Fairy Tail, and Lucy.)

"Pairs are as follows! LionHeart vs. Lamia Scale, or Marie Lu vs. Chelia Blendy! Mermaid Heel vs. Blue Pegasus, or Amelia vs. Hibiki! And, finally, Sabertooth vs. Fairy Tail, or Yukino vs. Wendy!"

Cheers exploded from the audience once again as the participants left the field, leaving only Marie (a summoner who called corpses to her aid) and Chelia.

Lucy, feeling the stares of her former guild mates on her, hunched her shoulders as she walked. When Sting and Rogue noticed, they moved to her sides, Sting throwing an arm around her neck and Rogue letting his hand drift out to brush hers supportively. Yukino bounced along after the three of them, tugging on Rufus's arm.

"If nothing else," observed Makarov. "Sabertooth is much more close knit than they used to be."

* * *

"Hey, Lily?" Happy prodded the black Exceed tentatively. "Who's that Exceed?"

"Where?" Pantherlily looked at Happy, then followed his paw to the Sabertooth booth where, as expected, Lector and Froch were cheering happily. It seemed, though, like they were being cautious; it was then that Charla said, "There, between them."

A small cat - probably only a few months old, Charla guessed - was sitting between the two, and Lector knelt down beside the furball and said something to it. A moment later, it started to cheer in a high-pitched, obviously young voice, then tried to spread its tiny, gold wings. At that point, Froch reached out and pulled the little Exceed to him, setting it on his head so it could have a better view.

"Look how adorable," Biska said, eyes lighting up, when she saw what the cats were seeing. "Look, Asuka, it's a little kitty."

"Kitty!" Asuka cheered

* * *

"So, what are you betting?" Sting asked, leaning against the railing and watching Marie and Chelia...well, like a cat watches a mouse.

"On the outcome of the fight?" Rogue asked, also studying to two young girls circling each other in the ring. "I'd say...Marie. Chelia has power, but Marie can summon quite a few corpses at the same time to swamp her."

Yukino made a face. "That magic's a little...gross." she muttered to Lucy, who just smiled to herself and leaned beside Sting.

"It's effective," she commented. "Not only is it terrifying enough to unnerve the opponent, Rogue's right; Marie could easily overwhelm her."

And, indeed, less than fifteen minutes later, Marie overpowered Chelia, earning five points for LionHeart. In a show of sportsmanship, Marie helped Chelia up and to the Lamia Scale team, both girls laughing all the way.

* * *

The next fight was over quickly; Amelia, who had the ability to change her appearance at will, turned into several beautiful women very quickly, mesmerizing Hibiki, who she then took out with a simple knock to the head that rendered him unconscious. Less kind than Marie, Amelia grabbed Hibiki's ankle, depositing him to his team with a flip of her hair.

Five points to Mermaid Heel.

* * *

"And, that concludes the proceedings for today!" the announcer cried, much to the disappointment of the crowd, who booed loudly.

"It's not my fault!" the man defended himself. "The teams all have to settle in and rest for tomorrow! First thing in the morning is the much-anticipated Fairy Tail vs. Sabertooth fight, followed by a most incredible second challenge! Goodbye and goodnight, minna!*

* * *

"Come on," Lucy murmured, to her teammates. "Let's get Lector, Froch, and Krysanthe and go to the hotel. I don't know if I'm prepared to face Fairy Tail tonight..."

"Like it or not, I remember a certain Salamander breaking into our hotel last year." Rufus commented.

Lucy just sighed. "I suppose that we should just go and get settled, then, before he gets there. By the look on Erza's face, she's going to be tagging along. And Gray. Probably Wendy. Maybe Levy. Oh dear, let's all just hope and pray they don't all come."

* * *

Lucy was sitting crosslegged on the floor in the main entry of the hotel that the large Sabertooth guild had completely taken over, holding Krysanthe (nickname Krys) in her lap and mindlessly playing with the Exceed when she heard the ringing knocks on the door.

"They're here," she called, but it was unnecessary, for Sting and Rogue had heard the knocks and had appeared at her side like phantoms, while Yukino, Froch, and Lector had been just in the next room, the library.

"Who's going to answer it?" the white-haired girl asked.

"I can't believe they knocked." Sting commented.

"I'll answer it," Rogue and Lucy said, at the same time. Brown eyes flicking to the dark-haired man, Lucy shrugged and gestured at the door.

Rogue reached the door in a few steps, and pulled it open only enough for his body to fit in the gap. Sting pulled Lucy to her feet, and Lucy handed Krys to Yukino, who hugged the little cat to her chest.

"Just let them in," she called to Rogue, who glanced at her once before taking a step back and opening the door.

* * *

Makarov was not so sure his children - some furious, some apprehensive, and some completely overjoyed - should go and see Lucy and Sabertooth by themselves, so he had told them that he would take the team participating in the Games, plus Levy, Happy, Charla, Gajeel, and Pantherlily.

When Rogue opened the door and peered down at the elderly man with respect, Makarov had to glance back at ten young people (and cats) lingering behind him. He had just opened his mouth to state their obvious purpose when a female voice called, "Just let them in."

At this, the dark haired man stepped back and waved them into the hotel.

Levy was the first one into the building, slipping easily around her guildmaster. As soon as she had locked her eyes on her best friend, she, like Wendy that morning, was across the room before even the known Dragon Slayers could blink, throwing her arms around Lucy's waist. (Where Lucy had grown to the point where she was as tall as Sting, Rogue, Natsu, and Gray, Levy had not grown at all.)

"Hello, Levy," The blue haired girl was moved nearly to tears at the sound of her friend's familiar voice and her arms wrapping around her to return the hug. "Um, you're squishing me."

"Sorry," Levy squeaked, jumping back from her friend and brushing tears away from her face. "It's just...God, Lu-chan, we expected the worse. We didn't expect you to show up again...especially not with Sabertooth!" Seeming to remember where she was, Levy blushed and apologized to Sting, Rogue, and Yukino, who didn't look bothered in the least.

"Lucy?"

The blonde swung her eyes up at the inquisition, and smiled when she saw Wendy. "Hey, you," she said, holding her arms out as an invitation for a hug, which the young girl happily accepted. "Sorry I chased you off this morning."

"It's fine," Wendy assured her, pulling back.

Next, the blonde was assaulted by Happy, who hugged her tightly around the shoulders, squishing his face into her chest, which made both Sting and Rogue growl threateningly, to the surprise of the Fairy Tail members.

Makarov greeting Lucy calmly, but with an unmistakable glint of joy in his old eyes. To the blonde girl's surprise, Gajeel greeted her warmly, with a, "It's been a while, Bunny Girl." Laxus even gave her a hug.

Which...left the rest of Lucy's old team.

Lucy was not at all surprised when Erza's greeting was a solid hit, a punch that would have sent her reeling before, but now made her cringe as the metal gloves the redhead wore dug into her arm, which she'd thrown up to block her face.

Sting nearly pounced on Erza, and both he and Rogue snarled in a way that made Makarov look at them in partial approval; at least they'd learned the value of family.

"If you're going to hit the members of our guild, I suggest you go," Yukino offered diplomatically. Erza just shot her a look before pulling Lucy into a bone-crushing hug, then bursting into tears before pulling back and hitting Lucy again, this time good-naturedly.

Gray hugged her like an older brother being reunited with a younger sibling, with a soft murmur of, "God, we missed you, Luce."

Last but not least, Natsu grinned, somewhat sadly at her, and said, "Since you've been gone so long, you must be stronger. So...fight me!"

"Not now, you dolt!" Lector scolded. "Participants in the Games fighting outside of the arena and a challenge get kicked out!"

Pantherlily and Charla couldn't help it; they both snorted in amusement.

"As rude as that was, Lector is right, Natsu," Lucy said, with an apologetic smile. "Perhaps after the Games?"

"After the Games...you're coming back to Fairy Tail, aren't' you, Lu-chan?" Levy inquired anxiously.

Lucy, mood shifting dramatically, looked down at the floor. "I can't, Levy," she said miserably. "I don't even know if I'm going to stay part of any guild after the Games."

Sting, Rogue, and Yukino shot her a sharp look, this being new information to them.

"But why?" Wendy demanded. "Please, Lucy-san; come home!"

Lucy looked even more miserable. "I'm sorry, Wendy, but my home is not in Fairy Tail or Magnolia anymore. Truthfully, it's not even in Lotus. My home is very far away...and it is where I will return after the Games."

"When are you going to tell us what happened, then?" Erza asked. "The things Master said you said made no sense. Even now, you greet us with kind words and open arms, so they were obviously lies, and I'd bet my good eye you made them up."

"Listen, we're all tired," Rogue interrupted. "How about this: tomorrow, if Wendy wins, Lucy will tell all of us everything. Is that okay with you, Lucy?" He glanced at the blonde, who nodded.

"But," Sting started, getting the idea. "If Yukino wins, she won't."

"And if we tie," Yukino added, "she gets the choice."

"You mean you guys don't know anything, either?" Gajeel asked, to which Lucy's three fellow guild members shook their heads no.

Just about then, Krys started to wail, drawing attention to herself for the first time.

"Lucy! Lucy!" she sobbed, waving her little paws in Lucy's direction. The blonde didn't even hesitate; she turned away from her friends and snatced up the Exceed, snuggling her gently and murmuring to her.

"Don't go away!" Krys wailed. "Don't go away, Lucy!"

"That's an Exceed." Gajeel said dumbly.

"Lucy...is that your Exceed?" Erza questioned, eyes wide.

"This is Krys," Lucy replied, still stroking the little white cat soothingly. "Yes, she's my Exceed."

"But only Dragon Slayers have Exceeds..." Levy stated. "Er, except Laxus."

(The blond man pouted like a small child and mumbled, "Everyone gets a cat but me...")

"Well, duh," Sting stated, holding out his arms for Lector, who jumped into them. Rogue smiled to himself when Froch hopped onto his shoulders. "Didn't you hear? There's no more 'Twin Dragons of Sabertooth.' We're the Dragon Trinity** of Sabertooth!"

Natsu's eyes widened. "Lucy, you're a Dragon Slayer!?"

* * *

***minna = everyone**

**** - This has no religious meaning. Trinity is only capitalized because it is part of a name.**

**A few more changes in this one, but the general storyline is the same.**


	5. The Second Day: Fear House

"Welcome to the second day!" the announcer - a different man, today - cried out, to the delight of the spectators, who had already spotted Yukino and Wendy in the ring, circling each other. "Let's hop right into this morning's battle," the man suggested, seeing the crowd's enthusiasm.

With the 'ok' from the announcers, the referee called out to the two young women, "Begin!"

With a flourish, Yukino pulled two keys from her belt. "Open, gates of the Hunter and the Fish! Orion! Pisces!"

With a flash of light, the three spirits appeared, Pisces in their human forms of mother and son, with Orion standing in front of them. Orian was tall and thin, but nicely muscled, wearing only a pair of ripped shorts, which seemed to excite some of the women in the crowd.

With a small motion of his hand, Orion drew the sword that was at his side, and the three spirits leaped at Wendy, Yukino following with the fleuve d'étoiles, a gift from Lucy.

Wendy, never one to back away from such a challenge, took a deep breath, letting it out with a violently loud, "Roar of the Sky Dragon!"

Orion jumped ahead of his companions, hefting his sword and slicing it through the rushing air, with parted around the hunter, Pisces, and Yukino, much to Wendy - and the rest of Fairy Tail's - surprise.

"How strong!" the announcer gasped. "Mostly the silver Celestial Spirit keys are overlooked, but Orion's strength is equal to one of the gold keys."

"Mama!" son!Pisces called, a spear appearing in his hand.

"Alright, son!" Mama!Pisces agreed, raising her arms as if trying to touch the sky before bringing them down violently, a flood of water exploding from the magic circle that had formed. son!Pisces twirled his spear, gathering the water up. With a sweeping motion, he forced the water away from himself in a jet not unlike Aquarius' attack from the Naval Battle the year before.

"Water Cannon!"

With a small cry of, "Vernier!" Wendy's limbs began to glow faintly, and she jumped upwards, in an attempt to dodge. Her body was clear of the attack when son!Pisces, swung his spear up, the water following, engulfing Wendy.

"He can direct the water!" the announcer cried.

"Look, there's Orion!" the referee shouted, pointing to the sky, where Orion was falling from, sword drawn. Wendy, caught and trapped by the water, flew up towards him, just as Orion swung his sword in a downward motion.

"He swung too early?" Erza murmured to herself.

"No!" Gray said, jumping to the edge of the booth to see better. "It's an attack using the air!"

And, indeed, Gray was right. The force from Orion's swing made the air cut through the water, Wendy plummeting back down to the ground.

Right before she hit the ground, the small girl flipped over and adjusted, landing on her feet in a crouch. "Arms!" she yelled, then swung her arm like one would to punch someone else. "Sky Dragon's Wing!"

Pisces, unsuspecting, cried out when the air sliced cleanly through their celestial bodies. Both gave a cry of apology to Yukino before vanishing.

"Orion!" Yukino called to the hunter. "Close gate!"

The hunter vanished, leaving just Yukino and Wendy, the latter forcing herself into a standing position with some difficulty.

"The time has flown!" the announcer cried out. "There are only five minutes left in this battle, folks!"

Yukino smiled to herself, then turned to Lucy to smile at her. (Lucy had happily agreed to help Yukino with Celestial summoning and working with her Spirits.)

"You're open!" Lucy screamed, as soon as Yukino turned her way.

The white haired girl, seeing her error, turned back too late, and was hit full force by Wendy's combination Roar and Wing, sending her flying into the arena's wall.

The next five minutes was a blur of movement. Yukino chose not to call out another spirit and Wendy dropped her supportive spells, both choosing to fight more hand-to-hand than with spells. Granted, Yukino did still have Lucy's whip, so Wendy fashioned one of her own from swirling air.

"Wendy's become so ferocious..." Natsu muttered to Gray and Erza, who nodded as they watched the little blue haired girl lunge towards Yukino, brandishing her weapon. Yukino managed to block, then got her whip around the Wendy's arm, flinging her across the arena, where she managed to skid to a stop before hitting the wall.

Just as the two mages made a threatening move towards each other, a bell rang out across the arena, signaling the end of the fight.

"Yukino got stronger too," Gray muttered, as the two girls, now smiling at each other peacefully, met in the middle of the arena to shake hands, then hug, before moving towards their team booths. Rather than go inside to get back, both just opted to hop up and go over the railing.

With the help of her magic, Wendy made it no trouble, whereas Yukino reached up her arms and was hefted into the booth by Sting and Rogue, who hugged her tightly before stepping aside to allow Lucy to do the same.

Meanwhile, Wendy's team nearly crushed her already bruised body with congratulatory hugs. She hadn't won, which disappointed the young mage, but, once again, she'd held her own and let her team gain points.

Fairy Tail and Sabertooth were awarded five points apiece.

* * *

"If each team could send out one representative, please." the referee announced, gesturing around. "If that person's already battled, I'm afraid they're not allowed to participate."

Two minutes later, the referee had his six contestants; Natsu from Fairy Tail, Jenny from Blue Pegasus, Jaime from LionHeart, Lyon from Lamia Scale, Milliana from Mermaid Heel, and Thea (a.k.a. Lucy) from Sabertooth. The seven people stood in an empty booth across from the announcers'.

"This challenge is very unique," the referee said to the contestants, although his voice rang through the arena. At the wave of his hand, the ground trembled for a moment before retracting, letting sand fall into the widening gap.

"What on Earthland?" Jenny wondered aloud, as a building, completely white, rose from the ground, filling in the gaps left by the floor.

"This is the Fear House," the referee smiled. "However, it's not your typical haunted house. This house will be totally attuned to the participants who enter. The building will even appear - inside and outside - like your home guild. Lacrima built into the walls access your memories," - surprised murmurs were exchanged throughout the guild members and spectators - "then find things that you fear, making them appear in front of you. Some of these things will attack you. Some will simply try to divert your attention so you can be attacked. Points will be calculated by how long you stay in the house. Less than a minute is no points. A minute to ten minutes is one point. Eleven to twenty is five points. Twenty one to the limit - thirty - is ten. The order of your participation will be decided by the first letter of your name."

A shimmering list appeared in the air above the arena.

**1. Jamie**

**2. Jenny**

**3. Lyon**

**4. Milliana**

**5. Natsu**

**6. Thea**

* * *

Natsu slowly edged closer to Lucy, who was still wearing her cloak, hood down and hair pulled back, revealing the little white rose tattoo on her temple. The blonde glanced at him, but allowed it, and the two stood side-by-side as Jamie (some sort of summoner mage who used cards) stepped into the house, which shifted to look like LionHeart, the symbol of the guild (somewhat literally, a roaring lion's head encased in a heart shape) painted on the doors.

Instantly, lacrima cameras sprang to life, screens popping up at random places in the arena to show the action inside.

Jamie stayed in the guild for five minutes, before fleeing from a horde of spiders, snakes, and a couple of what looked like angry villagers who were screaming insults at her.

Jenny was tormented by childhood memories, when she was just averagely attractive. Halfway through her eleven minutes in the house, Mira popped up. Well, actually, two Miras. One was in super-sexy mode, scantily clad, and the other was Demon Mirajane. Jenny was chased by these two for her remaining time, before diving out of the first window she saw.

Lyon, sadly enough, was tormented by Ur, who's face morphed into Deloria's, then attacked him. Lucy glanced up at Gray, to see him clutching the edge of Fairy Tail team's booth, knuckles white. Lyon lasted seventeen minutes before he, unable to hurt even this twisted form of Ur, was rendered unconscious from several crushing blows to the head and back.

Millianna relieved the torments of the Tower of Heaven. Driven to tears, she lasted only two minutes in the Fear House, and no one begrudged her for it.

After Milliana, an update of the scores popped up on the screens.

**LionHeart: 6pts**

**Mermaid Heel: 6pts**

**Lamia Scale: 5pts**

**Blue Pegasus: 5pts**

**Sabertooth: 5pts**

**Fairy Tail: 5pts**

"Next up!" the announcer began. "Natsu Dragneel, from Fairy Tail. It just makes me wonder what the legendary Salamander fears..."

With a small smile in Lucy's direction, Natsu hopped down from the booth and made his way to the Fear House, which shifted into the shape of Fairy Tail's magnificent building, the centerpiece of Magnolia. (Well, besides the cathedral.)

Lucy stepped up to the edge of the booth, now all alone, to get a better view. When she thought about what Natsu feared, her stomach dropped.

Whatever made Natsu afraid had to be horrible...

* * *

Natsu stepped into the guild, feeling a little like he was home, and more like something was wrong, since there was no one else in the normally rowdy guild.

On his guard, the Dragon Slayer slowly moved around the guild, looking around curiously when the room suddenly expanded so that the ceiling was so high and the walls so far he could not see them, even with his advanced Dragon Slayer sight. (The house only expanded on the inside.)

Suddenly, Natsu's reasoning completely abandoned him, and he found that this did not feel like a simulation from the Fear House; it felt real.

The guild went blurry, and shifted...

Natsu let out a horrific cry, and, if he'd been outside of the Fear House, he would have heard most everyone in the arena do the same.

The guild floor was covered in bodies. Bodies that Natsu knew.

There was Cana, very obviously dead, lying on the floor with all of her limbs twisted into unnatural positions, her neck broken

There was Mirajane, blood soaking her dress, reaching for Elfman, who looked like he'd been mauled by some kind of animal. Both he and his sister were reaching for Lisanna, who was slumped in a chair, glazed eyes staring vacantly at Natsu with a feathered arrow sticking out of her chest

Gajeel, Levy, Jet, and Droy were in the same area, the former two with their fingers entwined in a pool of blood. The latter two were a short distance away from the girl, as if they'd tried to protect her...

Natsu caught sight of Wendy, curled up in a corner clutching a white body - Charla - stained with red. He could not tell who had died first, and who had held that person to them, sobbing, before their own end came.

Juvia was on top of a table, stomach down, as if she'd tried to jump over it when she'd been struck, mid-air. Her blood pooled, then rolled off the table, drip drip dripping on the floor.

Natsu saw why when he hesitantly stepped around the table.

Gray.

The ice mage's eyes were opened wide in surprise, and Natsu could see why; a beam on the ceiling had broken and swung down, the force of the heavy wood driving it straight through Gray's midsection.

Natsu swallowed. It's not real. It's not real. he told himself. This is the Fear House. All you have to do is stay in here for thirty minutes so that you get the points. Just...

Natsu nearly lost this resolve when he saw Erza and Laxus; two of the strongest mages he had ever known, both now lying in pools of their blood mixed with the blood of their comrades.

Alzack was curled around Biska, and little Asuka was no where to be found. Vaguely, Natsu wondered if the Fear!House had allowed Asuka to survive since she was just a kid. But, he reflected, if that were so, then why Wendy, who was still, technically, a child?

Natsu nearly jumped out of his skin when the guild doors swung open, hitting the wall with a bang! He whipped around, not really expecting whom he saw. "Gildarts?"

Even as he spoke, Gildarts' face shifted, like his clothes and his hair, until it was not Gildarts standing before him, but a strange mixture of his friend and Minerva, who Natsu would know anywhere.

It was then that it dawned on him whose body he'd not seen - Lucy's.

Just as that thought entered his mind, the Lucy of his memories appeared, wearing one of her signature outfits, and with her pink Fairy Tail tattoo on her hand.

Before Natsu could move, Minerva/Gildarts screamed, "Lucy Heartfilia!"

"NO!" Natsu cried, taking a half step forward. But, he was too late; the black dagger buried itself in Memory!Lucy's chest, and she let out a small cry before falling backwards.

Natsu lunged forward to catch her, but the body disappeared right as his fingers touched the skin on her arm. Carried by his momentum, Natsu landed on his knees, and stayed on the ground.

Only when he heard a sweet, familiar giggle did Natsu look up, to find Thea/Lucy standing in front of him, dagger from Memory!Lucy's chest hanging from her fingers, still dripping blood.

"Hello, Natsu," she said sweetly, smiling...

...and then burying the dagger in his chest.

* * *

Natsu's eyes opened in shock, and he sat straight up, taking in the white floors, walls, and ceiling with some confusion before realizing that he was in the Fear House and seeing its true form. The blinking numbers that appeared in front of his face allocated Fairy Tail ten points - Natsu had stayed in the house for twenty one minutes and two seconds.

As he exited the building, to tremendous cheers and encouraging words from his guild mates, Natsu looked up at the scores.

**Fairy Tail: 15pts**

**LionHeart: 6pts**

**Mermaid Heel: 6pts**

**Lamia Scale: 5pts**

**Blue Pegasus: 5pts**

**Sabertooth: 5pts**

Slowly, Natsu's eyes shifted from the scores to Lucy, who was looking down at him in surprise. She moved her mouth to say something, and Natsu just barely caught it before the referee touched his arm and asked him to go back to Fairy Tail's booth.

_Good job, Natsu._

* * *

** A few more changes in this chapter, but not very many. I do not own Fairy Tail; Hiro Mashima does.**


	6. Mini-Chapter: Krysanthe

**Here's a mini chapter, on how Lucy met Krysanthe! As usual, I do not own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

"Ack!" Lucy cried, breath knocked out of her, as she slid back into the cavern wall with a crash!

"Gosh, Estrella, that really hurt." she said, after a moment, rubbing her midsection and arm, which were now patterned like Estrella's scales from the force of the dragon's blow.

Estrella chuckled._ You weren't blocking. I figured that you were inviting me to hit you._

"Oh, haha." Lucy rolled her eyes. "I guess I deserved that one. Are we going to go again?"

_I don't see why we shouldn't._ Estrella rolled her shoulders in the dragon version of a shrug. _Why don't you actually try some Dragon Slayer Magic this time? And, perhaps, we can discuss the Unison Raid that I tried to tell you about last night, when you were ignoring me._

"I fell asleep!" Lucy protested, holding up her hands defensively. "Geez, I'd just gotten back from Sabertooth when you sprang that on me!"

_Silly child._ Estrella teased._ Come now, though, please. It's time we get to work._

With a smile, Lucy stepped forward, away from the cavern wall, and took a fighting stance. "Here I come!" she warned her dragon-friend, taking in a deep breath.

"Celestial Dragon's...Roar!"

A blast of blue/black light scattered with white specks - like the night sky - burst out from Lucy's mouth, like Natsu or Gajeel's similar attacks. With a toothy dragon smile, Estrella batted the attack away not unlike a human would a fly.

With Estrella's chuckling in her ear, Lucy frowned and took a few steps back, rushing forward a few steps before launching herself into the air.

"Wing Slash of the Celestial Dragon!" Lucy brought her arms down in a sweeping motion, an attack similar in appearance to her Roar flying towards the dragon, slicing the air like a knife.

Estrella raised her foreleg to sweep it away once again, but her eyes widened when she finally felt the full power of Lucy's attack. At the last moment, she ducked away, allowing the attack to slice into the cavern walls.

_You held back on that Roar!_ Estrella accused, sounding partially miffed and partially proud.

"All's fair in love and war!" Lucy, still airborne replied, pinpointing where Estrella was in all the dust she'd thrown up by the sound of the dragon's voice.

"Celestial Dragon's Iron Fist!"

Estrella let out a roar that told Lucy something that made the blonde smile; for the first time, using her new magic, she had caused damage. Since she was so busy gloating, however, she did not notice Estrella's tail whipping through the air until it hit her squarely in the chest, once again throwing her into the cavern wall.

With a small cry, Lucy hit the wall, then fell a dozen or so feet to the ground, where she landed unsteadily on her feet. "Oww..." she gasped, rubbing her red, scale patterned chest.

_That was really impressive_. Estrella murmured to herself._ You're improving, Lucy. Now all you need to learn is humility; never be so proud that you drop your guard._

"After this," Lucy huffed, gesturing at her chest. "I think I got that."

Estrella laughed once again, and said,_ I think we're done for tonight. But, let's just stay here and we'll discuss the Unison Raid, like I said._

With that, Estrella dropped to her belly, curling her tail around her body. With a small smile, Lucy crossed the cavern floor and sat in her favorite spot; leaning against Estrella's chest with the dragon's tail wrapped around her, as well. It made her feel a little childish, but loved, and Estrella had been starved of love for so long that she didn't mind the blonde.

_Now,_ Estrella began._ What do you know about Unison Raid?_

"It's a spell that allows two mages with similar powers to combine their abilities and use an incredibly powerful spell. It's supposed to be difficult to master, but I've used Unison Raid with Juvia and Wendy, before. Juvia combined her water with Aquarius', and Wendy combined her wind with Scorpio's Sand Buster." Lucy rattled off.

_Indeed_. Estrella agreed._ Celestial Dragon Slayer Magic, however, is very versatile. It can be considered Light magic, Sky magic, Celestial magic, and Shadow magic, to an extent. Unison Raid with any of those types of mages would be incredibly easy for you._

"Light, Sky, Celestial, and Shadow..." Lucy mused. "Sting, Wendy, and Rogue I can see, but what exactly does Celestial magic mean? Could I Unison Raid with Yukino to cast Urano Metoria?"

_Yes, but it is broader than that. All of your Celestial Spirits use Celestial magic, so you could Unison Raid with any of them, as well. Although, considering the bonds you have with your spirits, Unison Raid with the Lion, the Water Bearer, and the Goat would be the strongest._ Estrella replied._ Perhaps tomorrow, if he's willing, Loke will help you try out a Unison Raid against me..._

"Would it be possible to do a Unison Raid with you?" Lucy questioned.

_Similar magic and the same magic are two different things. Although it is called Dragon Slayer magic, our magic is the same. I could slay a dragon with it just as you could. So, no, we could not. Although, a Unison Raid with Grandine could work. Or Sting and Rogue's dragons, although I believe they are deceased._

"Oh..." Lucy said. "Well, I'm tired, so I think I'll go to sleep now."

_Humans!_ Estrella exclaimed, somewhat affectionately._ All they want to do is sleep._

Lucy giggled. "Good night, Estrella."

_Good night, you silly girl._

* * *

When Lucy woke up a few hours later, a strange weight in her lap, it took her a few weary blinks to realize just what was sitting on her body. When she realized, she screamed, causing Estrella to wake with start.

_What on Earthland is wrong, Lucy - Did you lay an egg?_

"I - I don't think so!" Lucy stammered, staring at the egg sitting in her lap. It was smooth and white, with small, gold swirls covering it.

_I don't believe it - this is an Exceed egg!_ Estrella sounded surprised. _I knew they'd come to Earthland, but..._

"So this...will be my Exceed?" Lucy questioned, heart still racing a little from the earlier surprise of thinking she'd laid an egg in her sleep.

_All Dragon Slayers have Exceeds._

"Not Laxus," Lucy pointed out.

_Pfft. I bet that makes him angry._

Lucy cracked a little smile. "I've never asked."

As the two spoke, a cracking sound split the air, and both females turned their heads to look at the egg, which now had a long crack across the horizontal middle of it.

"It's hatching!" Lucy squeaked.

_Shh, you'll scare it!_ Estrella muttered, nosing the top of the egg until it tipped back, falling to the ground and breaking into a few more pieces before dissolving into a white light. The bottom began to glow and did the same, leaving a little ball of white and gold fluff sitting in Lucy's lap.

The little cat stretched and yawned, its little golden wings spreading limply behind it as it made a little, sleepy mewing noise.

It's big eyes opened - they were gold, too - and blinked sleepily a few times before locking onto Lucy's face. "Momma?" it asked, and Lucy realized by its voice that the cat was a girl.

"I'm Lucy," the blonde corrected. When a shadow - Estrella's head and neck - fell over them, Lucy gestured towards her and said, "This is Estrella."

The cat looked up at Estrella for barely a half second before it cried out, leaping at Lucy's chest and crying, "Lucy, Lucy don't let her hurt me!"

Surprised, Lucy held the trembling Exceed to her chest. After she and Estrella shared a look, the blonde said, "Now, now, Estrella won't hurt you. She's my friend."

The cat sniffed and looked up, meeting Lucy's eyes. "Friend?"

"Yes," Lucy assured the cat. "She's your friend, like me."

"Will you be my momma, too?" the cat begged Lucy, little paws reaching up to touch the blonde girls' face.

"Sure," Lucy agreed. "But if I'm your mother, I should give you a name. Unless, that is, you already have a name or want to pick your own?"

"I don't have a name," the little cat said. "Will Momma name me?"

Lucy sweatdropped. "If you'll call me Lucy, and not 'Momma.'"

"Ok." the cat said readily, nodding.

"Hm..." Lucy mused, observing the wide eyed little creature. "How about Krysanthe? Golden flower."

_Pretty_. Estrella commented, and the little white cat nodded her head in agreement.

"I'm Krysanthe," Krysanthe announced. "I'm going to be the happiest Exceed alive with my friend Estrella and my momma, Lucy!"

Lucy and Estrella's laughs rose and mixed in the large, warm cavern, and Krysanthe let her eyes droop shut, feeling safe and at home.

_Good night, Krysanthe._ Estrella said, a laugh still lining her voice.

"Good night, Krys," Lucy agreed, having already given the Exceed a nickname.

"Good night..." the little cat whispered

* * *

A few minutes later, if one had peeked into this supposedly haunted, dangerous cavern, they would have seen white dragon, white-and-gold cat, and blonde human curled up together, sleeping peacefully.

Lucy hugged her cat close, and dreamed of Fairy Tail.


	7. Announcement (July 9th, 2014)

Hello, everyone! It hasn't been that long, but long enough, I think!

As you might notice, I've started to edit 'No Regrets.' If you're new here, you've already read the chapters anyway, but if you're not, please go back and read everything, so you're not confused!

I don't know how everyone will feel about this, but I'm taking the 'Lucy is royalty' aspect out of the story. I know a few people thought this was too sudden, and, looking over it, I agree. Hisui and her family will still play a part in the story, but Lucy is not part of that family.

I hope you continue to wait for me!

(Although I understand if you don't.)

~RayRach2000


	8. Lucy's Fear House

**I do not own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

Lucy was not at all sure if she wanted to go through with this, even though she had to, since she'd volunteered. For one thing, living with no-nonsense Estrella had pretty much cured her fear of many things, and for another, the things she _was _terrified of...she'd already seen that the Fear House would show memories to distract, so what if the house showed _that _memory, of her speaking with Makarov?

Lucy stared at her feet and mulled over what she could be afraid of as she stood in front of the Fear House, letting it shift slowly into Sabertooth's main building. When there were gasps of surprise from the crowd, Lucy looked up, and paled.

The Fear House had not become Sabertooth, per say, but an odd mixture of Sabertooth _and _Fairy Tail. The Fairy Tail symbol was burned on the right half of the double doors, the Sabertooth symbol on the left.

With a swallow, Lucy pushed open the doors and stepped inside.

* * *

Now, the Fear House digs into your memories to find what you are most afraid of. For Lucy, she was not so much afraid of something that could hurt her, but something that she didn't want people to know. The Fear House waited to latch onto this, for, if it could torment her with things she wasn't quite afraid of, now, it would have time to find the thing that would paralyze her.

So, as soon as Lucy had entered the House and moved to the middle of the floor, a familiar hiss sounded behind the blonde, and she had sense enough to slide into a crouch, grab her cloak, and whip it around her protectively before a liquid hit it, sizzling. With a snap of the unharmed fabric, Lucy sent the liquid flying, and it burned holes into whatever it landed on. Knowing what she would see, the girl looked up and into the eyes of Frauchen Schlange.

Still crouched down, Lucy whipped a key off of her belt. "Open, Gate of the Lion! Leo!" Immediately after, she dropped and did a front roll. As soon as her back touched the ground, Loke appeared, feet flat on hers, and she pushed as he jumped, launching him at Frauchen Schlange.

"Oh, Regulus, grant me your strength! Regulus Impact!"

Lucy, on her feet again, covered her eyes at the bright light of Regulus. When it died down, Schlange was gone, and Loke turned to grin at her. "Thanks," they said, at the same time.

They shared a small smile before an enormous roar from behind Lucy nearly sent the both of them flying. Instinctively, Lucy leaped forward, hearing something crash into the ground behind her right after. She whipped around in mid-air, landing beside Loke, who reached out to steady her.

"Wyvern." the Spirit said, as the creature roared again.

"It stinks," Lucy muttered, under her breath, shifting into an offensive stance. "Ready, Loke?"

"How about you show off your new powers, Princess?" a new voice suggested, and neither mage flinched, even though - they couldn't see this - most of the spectators jumped.

"Hello, Virgo. Eager to get in on the fight?" Lucy asked, calmly.

"Eager to witness a Unison Raid, if you're going to try." Virgo replied. "May I assist, Princess?"

"Just stand back for the moment, Virgo. Loke, stay ready, yeah?"

"You say it like it's something I wouldn't have done on my own." Loke replied. "Go."

Lucy's eyes sparkled as she ran forward, stopping when the wyvern roared again. The blonde inhaled, rocking back on her feet. When she rocked forward, she bellowed, "Celestial Dragon's Roar!"

* * *

The attack ripped through the 'monster' with ease, and the crowd watching cheered loudly, as Fairy Tail watched on, fascinated, and Sabertooth swelled with pride..

"I knew that she was a Dragon Slayer...but wow!" Wendy breathed, as the dust cleared, revealing more 'enemies' in the Fear House for Lucy to fight, including one that looked vaguely like a mixture of Grimoire Heart's Kain Hikaru and Master Hades.

"I agree..." Gray said. "But isn't this Fear House supposed to target fears? Lucy doesn't seem particularly frightened of anything she's seen so far: including Master Hades and that guy from the 7 Kin of Purgatory who she fought on Tenroujima...Kain?"

"It's thinking," Erza commented, quietly. "It's trying to find the thing that will paralyze her with fear. Maybe for the others, it didn't take very long, but for her..."

"So she's...not afraid of anything?" Natsu tried to follow.

"She's not afraid of anything alive, I think." Laxus chipped in. "I think it's searching for a memory of something that happened...maybe something she doesn't want known?"

"Hm..." Natsu thought.

Gray cringed. "Don't hurt yourself, Natsu."

"What'd you say, Ice Princess?"

"Not here, you two idiots!"

*bang*

Wendy smiled sympathetically at her two team members lying on the ground. "You two know better than to fight around Erza..."

* * *

Because of the way the arena was designed this year, the guild spectators were very close to their teams, and Makarov overheard this exchange.

The old man crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the screen. _Lucy..._he thought.

* * *

"This is actually kind of fun," Lucy, in a sort of back-to-back triangle with Virgo and Loke. "I don't understand; for everyone else, there were genuine fears and challenges for them to face. What gives?"

"Oh, so you want to be terrified out of your mind?" Loke asked, sarcastically, as he roundhouse kicked 'Zoldeo/Caprico' in the head and straight into Lucy's Celestial Wing Slash that also took out 'Angel' from Oracion Seis.

"No, I'm just saying that this is _too _easy. Duck, Virgo." Lucy and the maid Spirit both ducked as one villain or another flew over their heads.

The girl and spirits moved away from each other, giving them room to turn. Lucy thought that the idiots they were fighting now were part of Eisenwald, although after so long, she wasn't sure.

"Princess is right, brother," Virgo commented. "I believe that the Fear House is - "

Virgo stopped speaking abruptly, but Loke and Lucy were too busy with Erigor to pay much attention. As soon as they'd defeated him, however, no more enemies appeared, and Lucy heard Virgo calling her softly.

"Princess, really, you should look!" the maid called out more insistently, and the pair whipped around to look at her, only to see another Virgo a few feet away scream and dissolve.

"Wha - ?" Lucy began to ask, but a realization that the entire half of the House past Virgo had turned into a forest, with a large building looking just inside the trees, made her freeze.

There she was, body partially turned towards Natsu, with Loke off to her right...

**(A/N: From here, in italics is what Lucy/Loke/Virgo saw in the House.)**

_A grunt drew the blonde's attention elsewhere, and she barely managed to scream, "Forced Close! Gate of the Lion, Loke!" before a mage tried to eradicate 'Loke.' Less than two seconds later, 'Loke' forced his gate back open and used Regulus to send the goon flying into the cliff face, with crumbled and buried him._

"_Lucy, we can't do this much longer!" 'Loke' warned 'her' as 'she' rolled out of the way of an attack from Schlange. A moment later, 'he' yelled for 'Natsu.'_

"_I'm trying!" 'Natsu', surrounded by goons, screamed in reply, punching, kicking, and biting left and right._

"_Loke, look out!" the 'Lion' stumbled when 'Lucy' shoved 'him' aside, as 'she' fell back. A shot of venom hit the ground right where 'they'd' been, destroying the grass, dirt, and rock, and making a deep crevasse._

'_Schlange,' laughing, turned away, seemingly ignoring 'them.'_

"_By the Celestial King's beard..." 'Loke' murmured, looking up, 'his' eyes locking with 'Lucy's.'_

"_We can't win this," 'she' voiced softly. _

'_Loke' hesitated, and 'Lucy' said, accusingly, "You know a way," _

'_Loke' launched himself over the crevasse, to 'Lucy's' side. "Nevermind what I do or do not know," 'he' growled. "Let's just get Natsu and get out of here. There's no way this isn't an S Class mission."_

"_NO!" 'Lucy' protested, yanking 'her' arm out of 'his' grasp and drawing 'Schlange's' attention. "Loke, please," 'she' said, in a softer voice. "If you know of any spell, you need to tell me. That's an order."_

'_Loke' paled. "I know of one spell," 'he' said softly. "Using it, you could defeat not only Schlange, but all of her goons. It's a Celestial spell created by the King himself that locks onto dark energies. But...the price of the spell..."_

"_I'll pay any price," 'Lucy' interrupted. "Here's another order: teach it to me." 'Loke' looked pained, but 'he' touched 'her' temple lightly. Where 'he' touched her, light blossomed, and a white tattoo - a rose, petals not colored in - appeared there, engraining the spell into 'her.'_

_Right before 'Lucy' forced his gate closed, 'Loke' murmured something to her. Before 'she' could close the gate, however, both 'Loke' and 'Natsu' cried out; the former from being hit by 'Schlange's' venom and the latter being overwhelmed by goons._

'_Lucy' rocketed to 'her' feet and screamed,_

"King of the Stars, I call upon your might

Recognize this evil, and let out the Light!"

_The tattoo on 'her' temple glowed with blinding brightness..._

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

* * *

The forest faded, leaving the Fear House in it's blank white shell, and Loke grabbed Lucy's arm when she collapsed, legs folding under her and arms bracing on the floor. Her hair swept forward to hide her face, but Loke was closer than the cameras, and could see her staring, wide-eyed and terrified at the floor.

"The time's up, Lucy." the Lion said, softly. "The challenge is over, you've tied with Fairy Tail, and the choice to speak is still yours." He pressed his lips to her forehead soothingly, before he began to glow. "I'll be there in an instant if you need me."

Virgo did not say a word but knelt in front of her master, touching her forehead to the top of Lucy's head for a moment before she vanished.

_Get up. They're watching. _Loke's soft voice spoke in her mind. _You won, Lucy. You had the best time and your team is tied with Fairy Tail. You did well, and now you need to get up._

Lucy took a deep breath and pushed herself to her feet, lifting her gaze to find it even with the doors of the Fear House. With steps that were at first hesitant and then became determined, she exited the House.

* * *

Rufus watched as Lucy stepped out of the House, squinting as the sudden sunlight burned her eyes. She seemed to be tensely waiting for something in the dead silence...

The crowd suddenly began to cheer, their voices rising in volume so much that the Memory Make mage was rather certain that it was even louder than the noise from the day before at the introduction of the teams, and Lucy relaxed.

Sting, Yukino, and the Exceeds began to cheer loudly, as well, and Rogue grinned in his own version of a cheer, but Rufus merely tipped his hat at the blonde figure making her way back to the group. Yukino elbowed him for this, but he shrugged; he was too bothered by what he'd seen in Lucy's Fear House to cheer for her just yet.

Quietly, he mulled it over in his mind.

_The price of the spell...what could it have been that her Loyal Spirit wanted to disobey her?_

* * *

**End of Chapter**

* * *

Participated in Challenges:

Fairy Tail: Natsu

Sabertooth: Lucy/Thea

LionHeart: Jamie

Lamia Scale: Lyon

Blue Pegasus: Jenny

Mermaid Heel: Milliana

* * *

Scores:

Fairy Tail: 15pts

Sabertooth: 15pts

LionHeart: 6pts

Mermaid Heel: 6pts

Lamia Scale: 5pts

Blue Pegasus: 5pts

* * *

Game Schedule

Day One: Introduction of the teams/One-on-One battles

Day Two: One-on-One battles/First Challenge - Fear House

Day Three: Second Challenge - Riddle Maze/ Pick-a-Partner Battles(1)

Day Four: Pick-a-Partner Battles(2)/Third Challenge - Find It

Day Five: Day of Rest

Day Six: Luck (Or Misfortune) of the Draw/Winners Declared

Day Seven: All-Guild Celebration/Fiore Day Festival

* * *

**This is really different from what it used to be, and, honestly...I like it a little more. What about you guys? Anyway, above is a schedule of what's to come; I'm sorry that I'm not very creative with the challenges/battles, but I really am trying my best. I hope you look forward to the next chapter!**


	9. Riddle Maze and Pick-a-Partner Battles

**I do not own Fairy Tail**

* * *

**Scores: **

**Fairy Tail: 15pts**

**Sabertooth: 15pts**

**LionHeart: 6pts**

**Mermaid Heel: 6pts**

**Lamia Scale: 5pts**

**Blue Pegasus: 5pts**

* * *

**Teams**

Team Fairy Tail: **Natsu**, Gray, Erza,_Wendy_, Laxus

Team Sabertooth: **Lucy/Thea**, Sting, Rogue, Orga(in for _Yukino_), Rufus

Team Mermaid Heel: _Amelia(Take Over/Shapeshifting)_, **Millianna**, Risley, Kagura, Beth

Team LionHeart: _Marie(Corpse Summoning)_, **Jaime(Ring Magic)**, Kris(Fire Magic), James(Music Magic), Liz(Earth Make)

Team Lamia Scale: _Chelia_, **Lyon**, Jura, Sherry, Yuka

Team Blue Pegasus: _Hibiki_, **Jenny**, Eve, Ren, Ichiya

_Italics = battled_

**Bold = participated in challenge**

* * *

"Lucy?"

The blonde opened her eyes when her mattress creaked, a weight on one side making it shift slightly. "Yeah, Yukino?"

"Can you scoot over?"

"Sure." Lucy turned on her side to face the other Celestial Spirit mage, then wiggled backwards, giving Yukino enough room to slip in beside her, the white haired girl lying on her side so that she could look at Lucy. "Something on your mind?"

Yukino got straight to the point. "After the day ended and we came back, you didn't talk to anyone. You hardly ate any of the food that Rogue made, and he's a great cook. Then, you came straight up here for bed instead of going into the library to read, or talking to Rufus. You ignored him when he called for you. What's wrong?" Yukino studied her friend's face, concerned. "Did it...have to do with your Fear House?"

Lucy sighed, although she was slightly amused at her friend's forwardness. "Yukino, you said that if you and Wendy tied, I could choose if I wanted to talk. You tied, I chose. I really don't want to talk about it." she replied, trying to sound gentle.

"So it has something to do with you leaving Fairy Tail." Yukino raised an eyebrow, and if Lucy's arms hadn't been under her blanket, the blonde would have face-palmed herself.

_Great, Heartfilia. Lovely._

"Yes, it does. But that's all I'm telling you."

"But, Lucy..." Yukino's eyes took on the wide, innocent look that Lucy had never been able to resist. "Don't you trust us? Don't you trust Fairy Tail?"

"Of course; I trust all of you. Don't think that I don't. It's just..." the blonde glanced away from Yukino, "there are some things that I can't talk about now. Not now, with only four months... - " Lucy clamped her jaw shut. "Anyway, not now. Good night, Yukino."

"Wait, Lucy - what do you mean 'only four months?'"

But, it was already too late, for Lucy had turned over on her other side and pulled the blankets over her head. As much as Yukino wanted to keep interrogating her friend, she realized that the conversation was over; Lucy would say no more.

With a sigh, Yukino slipped out of Lucy's bed and shuffled to her own. _We know something's up, Lucy...and sooner or later, we're going to figure it out._

* * *

_Creak_

Makarov looked up from his desk overlooking Crocus, and, staring out at the night, said, "Laxus, what on Earthland are you doing in my room and two o'clock in the morning? You might have to compete tomorrow."

"I want to know what happened, Gramps." the reply came, and the elder man heard the loud squealing of springs in the chair next to his desk as his grandson's large weight settled into it. "And don't scold me about staying up late; you're up too."

With a sigh, Makarov looked to his right, meeting Laxus' blue eyes. "Know what happened, when, boy? I'm old and my memory's not that good anymore."

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." Laxus snorted. "What happened, today, in Blondie's Fear House. What she saw at the end was right before the Raijinshuu, team Natsu, and I found her...and the Salamander. Less than a week after that - she was gone. And I think it has to do with the spell Loke taught her."

"That story is not mine to tell." Makarov turned back to his desk and paperwork.

"But Blondie sure as hell ain't talking, and I'm guessing that other than her Spirits, you're the only one who knows."

"She has her reasons, Laxus, and I won't betray her trust."

Laxus grunted irritably and stood, chair springs squealing again. "Whatever, old man, but if you're not coughing anything up, I'll just have to do some research."

Makarov grinned to himself as his grandson's footsteps retreated. "Research, Laxus?"

"I'm not the only one who wants to know. I happen to know that Levy is curious, and, in fact, she and Wendy went to Crocus Library after today's challenge ended. We're going to find out - sooner or later."

* * *

The next morning, as Fairy Tail was preparing to head to the Games' arena, Levy disappeared. Gajeel, Jet, and Droy - a reluctant team - headed into Crocus at the Master's request, even though all three - plus pretty much all of the other members - knew exactly where she was.

All the way across town at Sabertooth's hotel, Yukino also vanished, and, with the guild in a panic, Orga stepped in to cover for her, while a few other guild members went to search for her. They were intercepted by the three Fairy Tail boys searching for Levy, and ended up back in the hotel, knocked out cold.

That done, Gajeel and Team Shadowgear (minus Levy) headed towards the arena.

* * *

As Yukino sat the heavy volume down with a huff, Levy closed the book she had with a sigh.

"Nothing?" the white-haired girl asked.

"Nothing, but I think that those books that you've brought over are promising," the bluenette replied. "_Ancient Celestial Magic_, _Spells of the Stars_, and _Celestial Spirit Magic for Beginners._"

Yukino sat down beside Levy and pulled _Ancient Celestial Magic _towards her, while her companion chose _Celestial Spirit Magic for Beginners._

"Let's get to it."

* * *

"Dear God," Lucy's eyes grew as wide as saucers, and she leaned back, craning her neck in an attempt to get a good look at the twenty story - she'd counted; each story was clearly defined by a different color or pattern of building material - tower in the middle of the arena, casting a large shadow on a sliver of the crowd. "What the hell is that?"

"I think that might be today's challenge," Rogue replied, leaning past the rail as if trying to get a better look at the structure. "How'd they put it up with no one noticing? It's taller than the arena."

"Riddle Maze," Rufus said, and his four teammates looked at him, puzzled.

"What?" Orga asked.

The Memory Make mage rolled his eyes and pointed. There, on the side of the tower, were the words 'Riddle Maze.' "I was answering Lucy - Thea's - question. "_That _is, apparently, a riddle maze."

"Huh." Sting said.

"Not it," Orga crossed his arms over his chest.

Lucy snorted. "What, Orga? Afraid of some riddles?"

The green-haired man glared at the blonde. "Shaddup."

* * *

"Welcome to the third day, everyone!" the announcer cried, to cheering. Honestly, the poor man was almost tired of three days of continuous screaming. However, he plastered a smile on his face and continued, "Today, we're starting off with the next challenge: The Riddle Maze! Teams, if you could please send your representatives down to the arena floor!"

Instantly, Rufus hopped down into the arena, striding over to the referee. It seemed that Sabertooth had been the only ones to see the name of the challenge on the building itself, for the other guilds debated before sending in their representatives.

"Okay, we've got all of our participants! Wendy Marvell from Fairy Tail! Rufus Lore from Sabertooth! Liz from LionHeart! Beth from Mermaid Heel! Yuka from Lamia Scale! And, last but not least, Hibiki from Blue Pegasus!" The announcer waited for the cheers - sigh - to die down before saying, "Ref, if you'll please explain!"

The referee nodded. "Listen up, participants! Being a great guild isn't all about strength! In this challenge, you are all going to race up to the top floor of the Riddle Maze! First, you must find your way to the door leading to the next floor, which changes location every time someone else goes through. Secondly, to get through the door, you must correctly answer a riddle. Keep in mind, though, you have three strikes; if you answer incorrectly three times you will be sent back to the first floor, and all of the riddles will change. I'd like to stress that you can only go through a door if _you _have answered the riddle."

The ref took a deep breath, and waited until the participants all seemed to be caught up before he continued.

"Right. Now, on the top floor are five flags: gold(5pts), silver(4pts), bronze(3pts), gray(2pts), and white(1pt). The first person to the top will take the gold flag, the second will take the silver, and so forth. The flag you get coordinates to how many points you get. If, after one hour, more than one person has not completed the maze, those who are left will automatically get no points. Is everyone ready?"

Once he had a nod from all six, he positioned them around the base of the tower, in front of a door. Right before he blew the whistle that would open the doors, he shouted, "Oh, right, I forgot to mention it! You cannot use magic in the maze!"

"Wait, what - !" LionHeart's participant, Liz, started to protest, but the shrill sound of the whistle split the air, and she was forced to dive into the maze, lest she be left behind.

* * *

"Rufus is going to find a door first." Lucy predicted, and no sooner had the words left her lips did Rufus - on the lacrima-vision screen - turn a corner and find himself face-to-face with a door.

The mage reached out to touch the doorknob, and, when he did, a disembodied voice said, _Some are quick to take it, others must be coaxed. Those who chose to take it gain and lose the most. What is it?_

Rufus smiled, and, hardly missing a beat, said, "Risk." There was a small _ding _and the door opened, allowing him to go through. As soon as it shut, it vanished, and the black Sabertooth emblem that was being projected onto the side of the tower moved up to the second level.

A few seconds later, Wendy appeared on the lacrima-vision screen. _What can you catch but not throw? _the door before her asked.

The girl blinked at the door for a moment, huffed, and - eyes widening - proclaimed, "Your breath!"

The door swung open, and she darted through. Right before it shut, however, Hibiki tried to slide through it after her. The tower buzzed loudly - almost in disapproval - and the Archive mage was thrown back through the door, into the wall.

Fairy Tail's emblem moved up beside Sabertooth's, but Blue Pegasus' stayed put; in addition, a red 'x' appeared next to it.

"Strike one!" the ref called, amused.

* * *

After about thirty minutes, Rufus was on the twelfth floor, Yuka was on the eleventh floor, Wendy, Liz, and Beth were all on the tenth floor, and Hibiki was lagging behind on the fourth floor, having been thrown back to the first after answering wrong twice.

With a growl of frustration, Wendy met her fifth dead end in the past few minutes, and put her hands on her hips before wheeling around...and coming face to face with the door a second after Liz moved up to the eleventh floor.

The blue-haired girl's next riddle was easy (_What has a face and two hands, but but arms or legs? _A clock.) and she let out a cheer as she dashed onto the next floor.

A few minutes later found Rufus on the nineteenth floor, with Wendy, Yuka, and Liz only a floor below him, although Liz moved up a few seconds after Sabertooth became assured of its victory.

"Come on, come on!" Sting leaned against the railing eagerly as he called out, and Orga joined him a moment later, their cheering blending in with that of the crowd.

Rogue just grinned at the two of them, but Lucy was carefully watching the screen.

"She found it!" the blonde exclaimed a moment later, pointing, and her fellow team members looked just in time to see Liz answer her final riddle and dart onto the top floor, snatching up the gold flag from its pedestal to overwhelming cheering and screaming from LionHeart's team.

With a small smile on his face, Rufus found his last door, and easily answered the riddle. (_Has a blade of jagged cut/Keeps the quickest hand out shut./Goes in darkness. Wears a ring./One is quiet. Many sing. _A key_.)_He walked leisurely into the room and took the silver flag.

Yuka took the bronze flag at the forty-five minute mark, and Wendy took the next flat - the gray one - about ten minutes later. Hibiki and Beth made a mad rush to the top floor, but Hibiki got thrown back down to the first after three more wrong answers, and Beth got the white flag less than a minute before time was up.

"That's it for this challenge!" the referee called, and the announcer, in agreement, said, "Indeed! Here are the new, updated scores!"

**Sabertooth: 19pts**

**Fairy Tail: 17pts**

**LionHeart: 11pts**

**Lamia Scale: 8pts**

**Mermaid Heel: 7pts**

**Blue Pegasus: 5pts**

"So, folks, Sabertooth is in the lead with Fairy Tail only two points behind! A little ways behind the top two are LionHeart with eleven points and Lamia Scale with eight. Mermaid Heel and Blue Pegasus aren't far behind these two with seven points and five points respectively!"

As the crowd cheered, the riddle maze - since all of the mages had returned to their teams - began to shrink until it was the size of a small crate and a few people simply carried it off of the field, to the surprise of the crowd.

("That huge freaking tower folds up into a crate? Holy hell." Laxus muttered.)

"Well, folks, we're going to jump right in to the battle part of today." the announcer proclaimed. "But, these battles are going to have a little twist. Everybody, get ready for Pick-A-Partner-Battles! Once again, our ref will explain!"

"Hai!*" The announcer, standing in the middle of an arena, agreed. **(* - Yes)**

"Pick-a-Partner-Battles are pretty simple. Each team will pick two people to fight, and the teams with the lowest and highest scores will pick the guild team that they want to battle - hence, Pick-Your-Partner, although Pick-Your-Opponent sounds more appropriate to me. Anyway, we're going to allow a minute of deliberation before representatives from Sabertooth and Blue Pegasus tell us which guild they'd like to battle. The two unchosen guilds will be pitted against each other."

The five Sabertooth team members shared a look, then a grin; they all knew who they wanted to fight. So, when the ref turned to them, the five of them echoed at once, "Fairy Tail."

"I feel like we all should have expected that!" the announcer chuckled a little. "Anyway, let's hear from Blue Pegasus!"

"LionHeart." Ichiya announced, and the five young mages of said guild grinned, excited.

"Alright then!" the announcer nodded, and an image of the matches- in order - appeared at various points around the arena.

**Blue Pegasus vs. LionHeart**

**Lamia Scale vs. Mermaid Heel**

**Sabertooth vs. Fairy Tail**

"Of course we go last," Sting sighed.

"It gives us more time to think about two two we'd like to fight," Rufus said, sensibly, "although I'm guessing that everyone decided as soon as the ref said we could choose our two fighters."

Lucy blinked. "I didn't." she said, holding up her hands.

"We did," Rogue, Sting, and Orga echoed.

"You and me, of course," Sting said, grinning at Lucy.

"Exactly." Orga nodded. "I've always wondered how you two would fight together."

"And the audience saw shadows and light fighting together last year." Rogue added.

"I'm not opposed." Rufus shrugged.

"I guess I'm not, either." Lucy sighed. "Sting, if that's what you want to do, I'll go along with it."

"Yes!" the blonde man cheered, then held up his hand for a high five, which Lucy reluctantly returned, although she was smiling.

"You're an idiot."

* * *

"Since we've got a little bit of time left today, we've decided to go ahead and let the Pick-Your-Partner battles begin! If the two person teams from Blue Pegasus and LionHeart could please make their way to the arena floor so we could get started!"

There was some movement from both teams, and, a few moments later, the two teams appeared on opposite sides of the arena. Instantly, their images popped up on screens for the audience to see.

"So, it's Blue Pegasus' Ren and Eve vs. LionHeart's Kris and James! This should be an interesting fight; Kris uses Fire Magic that could counter Eve's Snow Magic. Ren uses Air Magic, but I'm not sure what that could do to James' Music Magic." the announcer mused. "Anyway...let the battle commence!"

* * *

"White Out!" Ren leaped backwards, away from Kris, as he cast the spell, snow flying from the magic circle in front of his hand.

"Ring of Fire!" the LionHeart mage countered, a circular wall of flame shooting up around him that melted the snow and created steam that completely blocked the vision of all four opponents.

"Kris!" James called out, in complaint.

"Tsk." Ren clucked his tongue. "Gust!" he called, and a magic circle appeared across the entire arena floor, a huge gust of wind shooting in an upwards motion, lifting the battling mages quite a few feet off the ground and dispersing the steam.

"I see you!" James cried, from behind Ren. "Sound Explosion!"

Six simultaneous magic circles appeared around Ren; above his head, below his feet, in front of and behind him, and on both sides of his sides. There was a second when it seemed like nothing would happen, but just as the mages' feet touched the ground, deafeningly loud sound blasted inward from all of the circles.

Ren screamed and fell to his knees, his hands clapped over his ears. The circles disappeared a moment later, but he stayed on the ground, dazed, confused and in pain from the sound.

"Ren!" Eve cried, half turning his attention to his partner.

"Don't take your eyes off of an opponent!" Kris shouted, but when Eve turned back, it was too late; Kris's fire attack - similar to a Dragon Slayer's Wing Slash - caught the blonde boy full in the chest and sent him flying back towards the arena wall, which he crashed into, falling to the ground and lying still.

James, feeling a little bit bad about how much pain Ren was in, used his magic to play a lullaby straight into the tan boy's mind, which made him fall deeply asleep, flopped out on the ground unceremoniously.

"That's it, folks! LionHeart wins, and earns five points!"

* * *

Yukino glanced up from her book. "It's crazy how you can hear the cheering from here..." she muttered. "What do you think has happened, Levy-chan? Um, Levy-chan?" The Celestial Spirit mage blinked uncomfortably as Levy stared at her. "What?"

"If we're wondering about a Celestial magic spell...why don't we ask a Celestial Spirit?" the bluenette asked.

Eyes growing wide, Yukino gasped, then smacked her forehead. "I can't believe we wasted all day in here and didn't once think about that." she groaned, reaching for her keys. "Open, Gate of the Northern Cross! Cygnus!"

As the Spirit was appearing, Levy said, "Doesn't Lucy have the Southern Cross?"

"Yes," Yukino nodded. "Crux. This is the Northern Cross, or the swan, Cygnus. Unlike Crux, she is also handy in battle...or so I've heard. I just found her key before the Games, and I haven't had a chance to try her out yet."

"Unfortunate, really," a soft voice replied. "It's been so long since my Master has allowed me to test my strengths."

"Sorry, Cygnus," Yukino smiled apologetically at the woman sitting in the chair across from her and Levy.

_(The Spirit was wearing a white feathered dress with white wristlets and anklets that had little wings on them, which Levy assumed was a sign her status as the swan.)_

"That aside," Cygnus shrugged, "what can I do for you, Yukino-sama?"

("Ah, just Yukino, please." Yukino sweatdropped.)

"Cygnus," Levy said, and the Spirit's pale blue eyes turned to her. "We need to ask you about something. A Celestial spell."

"Name it, and I shall do my best, friend of Yukino." Cygnus bobbed her head.

"It's called _Deux lux Mea_." Yukino chipped in. "I know the incantation, if you need it. I also know that it gave her the ability to sometimes...well, not hear thoughts, but...intentions, I guess?'

"And Yukino told me about something Lucy said yesterday that we both think was a little strange. Something about 'only four more months.'" Levy said. "Does that have something to do with it?"

"Both of those things have something to do with it," Cygnus began, and Yukino interrupted in surprise, "You don't need to search?"

"Search?" the Spirit blinked. "No. You could have asked any Spirit in your possession and they would be able to tell you as much as I can. _Deux lux Mea _is a spell created by the Celestial Spirit king that focuses on the evil inside of an enemy soul and destroys it, turning the body to stone. The ability to hear thoughts or, more accurately, intentions, is because the Spirit King pitied those who were desperate enough to cast the spell and hoped for them to go knowing how the people they loved truly felt about them."

"Wait. What do you mean by 'go?'" Levy asked. "Go where?"

"Go to the afterlife," Cygnus said, her gentle voice too soft for the news she was delivering. "The prince of _Deux lux Mea _is all but a year of your life."

* * *

**End of Chapter**

* * *

**Scores**

**Sabertooth: 19pts**

**Fairy Tail: 17pts**

**LionHeart: 16pts**

**Lamia Scale: 8pts**

**Mermaid Heel: 7pts**

**Blue Pegasus: 5pts**

* * *

**Teams**

Team Fairy Tail: **Natsu**, Gray, Erza, _**Wendy**_, Laxus

Team Sabertooth: **Lucy/Thea**, Sting, Rogue, Orga(in for _Yukino_), **Rufus**

Team Mermaid Heel: _Amelia(Take Over/Shapeshifting)_, **Millianna**, Risley, Kagura, **Beth**

Team LionHeart: _Marie(Corpse Summoning)_, **Jaime(Ring Magic)**, _Kris(Fire Magic), James(Music Magic)_, **Liz(Earth Make)**

Team Lamia Scale: _Chelia_, **Lyon**, Jura, Sherry, **Yuka**

Team Blue Pegasus: _Hibiki_, **Jenny**, _Eve, Ren_, Ichiya

_Italics = battled_

**Bold = participated in challenge**

* * *

**Game Schedule**

Day One: Introduction of the teams/One-on-One battles

Day Two: One-on-One battles/First Challenge - Fear House

Day Three: Second Challenge - Riddle Maze/ Pick-a-Partner Battles(1)

Day Four: Pick-a-Partner Battles(2)/Third Challenge - Find It

Day Five: Day of Rest

Day Six: Luck (Or Misfortune) of the Draw/Winners Declared

Day Seven: All-Guild Celebration/Fiore Day Festival

* * *

**Meh. That's just how I feel about this chapter. Meh.**


End file.
